Most emotional moments in action-adventure games
The genre is packed with unexpected heart, comedy, and heartbreaking moments that can rival anything in film or television. There’s something about the characters, stories, and interactions in these games that tap into deep wells of emotion – it’s more than just the gameplay.
The best action-adventure games have stories and characters that can take players on an emotional journey, and the emotional beats throughout the games enhance the overall gameplay experience. We’ve picked some of the most memorable moments in games as a starting point, but we’d love to hear your thoughts on what emotional moments in games have left you in tears.
Reimagined Hitman trilogy – Agent 47 shows a rare tender side
In a moment from Absolution, Agent 47 is tasked with protecting a young girl named Victoria. When the pair reach a hospital ward, Agent 47 decides to take the opportunity to teach Victoria about the dangers of germs. He carries her through the room, empathising with her situation and protecting her from harm.
Tomb Raider series reboot – poignant finales
The Tomb Raider series is filled with powerful emotional moments, but the finales in the two most recent games really hit home. In Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Lara has to make a difficult decision regarding a piece of tech that has the power to save the world.
Lara Croft gets to relive a moment with her parents in the very beginning of her story, despite the cost of the apocalypse. She gets to spend time with her father, an adventurer like her, and her mother, a humanitarian who seems to have a role in stopping the fall of the world.
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey – a genuine emotional moment
The storyline of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey involves rescuing a sibling and developing a sibling bond with a young girl named Phoibe, who turns out to be the daughter of an important character. While the story does, in the end, take a tragic turn, the relationship between Phoibe and Kassandra is one of the most genuine and memorable in any video game.
However, the player also experiences genuine emotional moments with Kassandra himself. The most significant one happens when Kassandra and Phoibe are on an island, away from everyone else. After Phoibe asks about Kassandra’s sister, Kassandra remembers the last time she and her sibling were together.
Red Dead Redemption 2 – an open-world game with heart
Despite the open world and seemingly endless possibilities, Red Dead Redemption 2 is not an action-adventure game you’d immediately associate with impactful emotional moments. However, there are some particularly heart-wrenching scenes between Arthur Morgan and Sister Calderón.
In one memorable scene, Arthur, after an intense gunfight, sits in the rain, holding his side and reflecting on his fate. He opens up about his grief and his hopelessness, before going into a conversation about his dead brother and his guilt. There’s such a sense of realism in this moment, as it could easily come out of a therapy session.
Guardians of the Galaxy – heart, comedy, and heartbreak
The Guardians of the Galaxy, both in the video game and the MCU films, have a certain charm which is defined by heart, comedy, and heartbreaking moments.
In the video game, Peter Quill experiences a brutal moment with his mom while under the influence of Nikki’s Promise. He has to let go and break free, but it’s not easy. In the film, one of the most heartbreaking deaths happens when Nebula kills both Gamora and Korath.
However, the game features a sidequest called “A Viking Funeral”, where you accompany Brok, Torunn, and Torbjörn to an island and help them build a funeral pyre for their fallen comrade. The whole sequence is filled with humour, but there’s a solemn, yet necessary feeling to the whole thing. You light the pyre, Brok’s body burns, and the whole thing feels very final.
Survivor – fighting Darth Vader as Cere
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor surprises players by allowing them to fight Darth Vader as Cere, which results in a powerful and emotional scene. After defeating Vader, Cere sacrifices herself to save Cal, and the visuals, music, and Cal’s display of emotion make the whole thing very moving.
Spec Ops: The Line – disturbing and guilt-inducing
Spec Ops: The Line offers a disturbing and guilt-inducing experience that’s hard to shake off. There’s one moment in particular, which is one of the most shocking scenes in video games, that reveals the aftermath of using a chemical agent that unknowingly killed innocent civilians.
The framing, the music, the slow motion – all of it creates an unsettling atmosphere that makes the player feel like they’re in a nightmare. The worst part is that the player is complicit in the massacre, which is made even worse by the fact that it’s the result of a simple button press.
Insomniac’s Spider-Man – leave it to Marvel
Insomniac’s Spider-Man game has left players in tears.
